This invention is directed to an improved method and system for forming multilayered, three dimensional objects and assemblies and the improved products formed thereby.
In the last few years significant efforts have been made to develop manufacturing and modeling systems based on computer assisted design (CAD) and computer assisted manufacturing (CAM). For example, a procedure and system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,330 (Hull) wherein a computer controlled beam of radiation is employed to cure a sequence of thin plastic layers of predetermined shape on a substrate disposed within a bath of radiation curable polymer resin. The particular shape and dimensions of the cured thin plastic layers are controlled by controlling the application of the radiation by a suitably programmed computer to form the three dimensional object having the desired shape.
Another similar process and system for forming three dimensional objects is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,352 (Feygin) wherein a layer of powdered material is applied to a substrate and consolidated by pressure and then a computer controlled laser beam is applied to the surface of the layer of compressed powder to sinter a portion thereof which is a cross-sectional segment of a three dimensional object.
In the same Feygin patent another method and system of forming a three dimensional object is described wherein the cross-sectional segments or layers of the object are preformed individually, assembled into the desired three dimensional shape and then joined together by suitable means to form the final product.
In yet another method and system of forming three dimensional objects, which is offered by the Cubital Corporation in Warren, Mich., a layer of curable plastic resin is applied to a substrate, an optical mask is positioned above the layer of plastic resin and radiation is directed through the clear or open portions of the mask to cure the layer of resin in a predetermined configuration, the uncured resin is removed and then the cavities left by the removal of the uncured resin are filled by melted wax which is solidified by applying a cold flat plate thereto. Subsequent layers of plastic are then sequentially applied in the same manner to form the three dimensional object. The wax is removed by heating or other suitable means. A computer creates the desired three dimensional shape of the desired object and then slices the shape into the shapes of the plurality of plastic layers which form the final shape.
A wide variety of other methods are described in the references listed below. The references listed are to be considered exemplary, not exhaustive on the subject.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,174,837 (Mears)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,390.447 (Mears)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,480 (Rivers)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,528 (Wiech)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,330 (Hull)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,907 (Soszek)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,253 (Soszek)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,410 (Muller, et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,352 (Feygin)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,498 (Fudim)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,477 (Fudim)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,538 (Deckard)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,499 (Smith, et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,757 (Rando)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,816 (Beaman, et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,817 (Bourell, et al.)
While there has been much development in this area of technology, a need still exists for methods and systems to effectively form three dimensional products, particularly extremely small and complicated shapes such as are found in intravascular catheters and other devices which cannot be readily made by the prior methods. The present invention satisfies this need.